WIREDGOV

10DS:  PM - Time to tear down the barriers at elite universities ~ BIS:  Javid meets universities to discuss improving social mobility)

BIS:   Government and industry unite to drive UK rail growth – (BIS:  High streets and city centres to benefit from Sunday trading devolution)

DfT:  Driverless cars technology receives £20m boost ~ techUK:  Are we one step closer this week to an AI driven world? ~ DfT:  Two companies shortlisted to compete for the next South Western rail franchise)

DECC:  World’s largest offshore wind farm to be built in the UK)

Ofgem grants licence for Transmission Capital Partners to own link to Westermost Rough Windfarm

CLG:  Ministers call on construction industry to invest and build home grown talent

RoSPA welcomes new corporate manslaughter sentencing rules

Dstl:  100 years of defence operations at Porton Down

ScotGov:  £12m for energy skills – (ScotGov:  Budget wage rise for 51,400 low paid workers ~ ScotGov:  Living Wage for care workers ~ 200th employer signs Business Pledge ~ ScotGov:  Steel business rates relief)

WAG:  Gwynedd businesses speeding ahead with Superfast Cymru – (WAG:  New on-line Directory launched to promote Welsh businesses ~ WAG:  Bill to boost Wales’ natural resources to become law ~ WAG:  Further EU funds to support advanced materials & manufacturing in Wales)

Wales Office:  Lord Bourne attends Tata Steel Task Force

ICO:  Revised code looks at privacy notices

ESRC:  Fair tax for big business

techUK:  Virtual Reality increasingly seen as a next big thing – (techUK:  Investigatory Powers Bill could undermine UK Tech sector ~ techUK:  BIS selects techUK-backed JTA WEEE compliance fee proposal ~ techUK:  Mobile Services & Apps are growing in popularity, but could they go further? ~ techUK:  EC proposes to coordinate the use of the 700 MHz band for mobile services ~ techUK:  £40m to drive green car revolution ~ techUK:  Big Data meets the US’s Biggest Sports event of the year)

Innovate UK:  New website hosts wealth of data on energy efficient buildings

UKTI:  UK & Nordic-Baltic fintech community explore collaboration opportunities

STFC:  UK SMEs can win free access to R&D facilities

CBI:  UK growth slips at start of year – (CBI: Business North launches ~ CBI: Minerals critical to the UK economy ~ CBI: Smaller manufacturers report stable start to year ~ CBI: UK will stand stronger with China from inside the EU)

TUC welcomes support package for Sheffield Forgemasters – (TUC: Black workers with degrees earn a quarter less than white counterparts ~ TUC: Extending Sunday opening hours will be bad for workers & small businesses ~ TUC:  Women must not be left behind in pensions revolution ~ TUC: Investors use new votes to show concern over boardroom pay ~ TUC: Naming & shaming of minimum wage cheats must continue)

UKCES Employers facing talent poverty as skills shortages rise 130% in 4 years

ESPO announce framework stakeholder engagement opportunities – (ESPO Publish Corporate Update Newsletter for Winter 2016)

Crown Commercial Service:  Supplier event helps shape Awarding Organisations procurement

CIPD:  Shifting business priorities create significant opportunities for HR

Revenue & Customs Brief 7 (2016): reminder of withdrawal of the VAT Misdirection Extra Statutory Concession 3.5 in cases of VAT liability change

Revenue & Customs Brief 5 (2016): Tonnage Tax - qualifying ships and flagging